It looks as though the Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) will continue to offer passengers duty-free shopping for another eight years, thanks to a contract that has been signed.
Not only will the shopping continue but it was also announced that the storefront will undergo an expansion of almost 100 square metres, giving people a total of 820sq m. worth of retail shopping space.
The extension to the contract was confirmed by Dufry/World Duty-Free’s CEO Julian Diaz, who went on to state that the expanded retail space will feature an innovative design to showcase all the latest trends in the travel retail sector. What this means is that the retail space will feature a brand new layout in order to accommodate new offerings and brands in the categories of wine and spirits, perfumes, cosmetics, and confectioneries.
A Welcome Extension
The Liverpool Airport Authority is reported to be very “excited” about the extension to the contract as well as the expansion of the retail space. Currently, the airport sees about three million departing passengers a year. Liverpool is seen as a gateway to other major European destinations, as well as to England itself, so the airport stays quite busy.
The goal is to make the LJLA airport a world-class shopping environment, which certainly seems to be warranted with the ever-increasing tourism numbers.
The UK Prepares for the Influx
It seems as though the UK, in general, is enjoying quite the influx in tourism as of late. Many experts believe it’s due to the popular Netflix series “The Crown”, which chronicles the history of the royal family. The increase in tourism numbers is being dubbed “The Crown Effect”.
Last year, around this time, international vacationers showed a 31% interest in visiting the UK. This year, the number has skyrocketed to 63%. It’s got everyone in the tourism industry scrambling, trying to keep up and take advantage of this huge jump. And it’s not just international travellers who are interested in the UK; it seems as though 30% of Britons have shown interest in staying in their own country for holidays this year.
The travel industry, including UK hotels, are preparing for what may be a record year this year, according to a Barclays Corporate Banking report that has just been published.
With the increase in travel, it’s only natural that people are looking to dig deeper and get answers. Barcelo’s Travel Insights has released all kinds of data that takes an in-depth look at the travel habits, choices, and factors of UK tourists. This is exactly the kind of information the travel industry is looking at in order to prepare for peak travel season (the summer months).
No Rest in the Travel Industry
So no matter where you are looking, whether it be right here in Liverpool, the UK in general, or further, it looks like this year’s travel season is gearing up to be a big one.